mary's "real" italian lasagna

yield: 2, 8x8 pans or 1, 9x13 pan

1 pkg Barilla lasagna noodles (regular or no-bake)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 recipe besciamella sauce (below)
2 zucchini or yellow squash (or combo) shredded
2 carrots peeled & shredded
6 mushrooms, shredded
1 pkg mozzarella cheese
1/2 C fresh (or packaged) parmesan cheese, reserve for top
basil for garnish

Besciamella [white] sauce
1/2 C butter
4-5 TB flour
1/2 C milk
1 pint (2 C) cream [can use all milk]
salt & pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350. Grate all veggies and cheese.

Prepare besciamella sauce: melt butter in pan and add flour to make thick past. Add milk 1/2 cup at a time until sauce reaches alfredo-like consistency. Let it boil for 1 minute (reduces the flour taste). Add salt & pepper to taste and take off stove.

In pan layer spaghetti sauce, noodles, white sauce, veggies, ham, spaghetti sauce, cheese, noodles, white sauce, veggies, etc. etc. Top layers should be noodles, red and white sauce, cheese parmesan, & basil.

Cover with lid or foil and cook for 25-30 minutes. Remove lid or foil and cook for an additional 10+ minutes until top is golden and cheese is melted.

* I used a packaged Italian cheese blend for each layer and it was great - probably 2 C total. I also used regular lasagna noodles and as long as they're surrounded in sauce they'll cook fine. I can vouch for using all milk in the white sauce, which is how I always make white sauce. You can also make the white sauce in the microwave which is less time consuming and won't burn. This is delicious!